Constructional systems

ABSTRACT

A readily assembled and demounted shelving system having a hollow post with channelled faces, and projection-receiving slots interrupting the channels, there being an arrowheaded connecting member which is insertable into the slots and thereafter slidable along the channels and which is supported by fastener elements in a final desired position.

United States Patent Inventor Joseph Chalr-Fal Chiu Kowloon, Hong Kong Appl. No. 835,990 Filed June 24, 1969 Patented Oct. 19, 1971 Assignee Chin's Joint System Limited Tli Wal, Shntin, New Territories, Hong Kong Priority July 2, 1968 Great Britain CONSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEMS 5 Claims, 25 Drawing Figs.

U.S.CI 211/148, 108/106, 211/176,248/244 lnt. CL A471: 9/08, A471 5/00 FleldolSear-ch, 211/148,

177, 1 76; 248/244-45, 239, 243, 235, 295, 125, 157,161, 250; l08/l07,106, 108,110-111, 144, 159, 153-154; 281/54 A-54 C References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS O'Brien Baines Crider Campbell Bea1............ Striissle FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Great Britain... Great Britain Primary Examiner-Ramon S. Britts Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman 7 A readily assembled and demounted shelving system having a hollow post with channelled faces, and projection-reeoiving slots interrupting the channels, there being an arrowheaded connecting member which is insertable into the slots and thereafter slidable along the channels and which is supported by fastener elements in a final desired position.

IPATENTEDHET 19 Ian 3 6 13, 9O 0 W3 9,41 PM Attorneys PATENTEBum 19 \97l 3.613.900

' SHEET 8 BF 8 Attorney 5 Mustan 19 I971 N .613.900

SHEET 7 BF 8 Attorneys cous'rauc'nousr. SYSTEMS This invention relates to a constructional system for shelving, display stands or the like adapted to be readily assembled and disassembled, and it also relates to shelving or a display stand including an assembled constructional system.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a constructional system for shelving adapted to be readily assembled and diassembled, said system including a post, at lease one connecting member which is provided with a projection, the said post having slot means therein including a projection-receiving portion and a channel portion communicating with said projection-receiving portion, whereby in operation the or a said connecting member may be inserted into said projection-receiving portion and then be moved therefrom into said channel portion, and support means insertable into said projection-receiving portion and displacesble to said channel portion to support said connecting member in any desired position along the channel portion.

Preferably a part of said projection on the or each connecting member is substantially arrow shaped in section and said projection-receiving portion is shaped for receiving said part.

The or each connecting member may be substantially an I- section and may include a web and two end flanges each extending normally to said web, but the web extends longitudinally beyond the flanges to form another part of said projection.

Advantageously, the or each projection has two substantially arrow-shaped parts interconnected by said web, the arrow-shaped parts being coplanar with, but spaced from, said flanges.

Preferably, the edge of the web opposite to said another part of the projection extends, at least in part, obliquely to said flanges.

In one preferred embodiment, the said flanges are unequal in length and width, through they may be arranged to be equal in all dimensions thereof.

The edge of the web interconnecting said substantially arrow shaped pans may extend obliquely to the planes of the flanges.

At least one of the flanges may have an aperture therein for receiving a projection on a panellike member which may be secured between the flanges, whereby to secure said panellike member in position.

Preferably, the projection-receiving portion of said slot means extends transversely of and intersects the channel portion, the two portions being respectively adapted to receive said arrow-shaped part or parts and said web.

Optionally, said channel portion extends through the major part of the length of the post, there being stops at both ends of the channel portion for limiting the displacement of the connecting member in the channel portion.

Said slot means may include two spaced-apart transverse projection-receiving portions one of which is part cylindrical for receiving a substantially cylindrical support fastener.

Said support fastener preferably includes a screw and a captive nut, the latter having a cylindrical base adapted tobe located within the post and an integral abutment adapted for sliding in said channel portion.

Said post is preferably hollow and rectangular in section, there being a said channel portion extending along a median of each face of the post.

Each face of the post may be provided with two projectionreceiving portions, but at least two of said faces have their respective pair of projection-receiving portions at different locations alongtheir lengths.

In order to clamp two panellike members between said flanges on either side of the web, a channel-shaped clip may be provided, one sidewall of which is slotted to receive said web.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided shelving or a display stand including an assembled constructional system as set forth above, shelves or other panellike members being secured to three or at least some of said connecting members. The invention is illustrated, merely by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connecting member forming part of the constructional system in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2, is a side elevation corresponding to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a front elevation corresponding to FIG. 1,

FIGS. 4 to 6 are views respectively corresponding to FIGS. 1 to 3 but showing to hirther embodiment FIGS. 7 to 9 are views respectively corresponding to FIGS. 1 to 3 but showing a still further embodiment,

FIGS. 10 to 12 are views respectively corresponding to FIGS. 1 to 3, but showing yet another embodiment,

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a post for use in the con structional system in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 14 is an elevational view taken along the arrow I4 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is another front elevation taken along the arrow 15 of FIG. 13,

FIG. 16 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 13,

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a support member for use in the constructional system in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a clip for use in the constructional system in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the first step of the procedure for erecting shelving in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 20 shows a further stage of the erection procedure FIG. 21 shows a still further stage of the erection procedure following FIGS. 19 and 20, and

FIGS. 22 to 25 show, in perspective, various examples of shelving assembled form the constructional system of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a connecting member 30 for use in the constructional system in accordance with the present invention. The connecting member 30 is substantially an I-section having a central web 31 connecting two end flanges 32 to 33 which are respectively at right angles to the web 31, are parallel with each other and extend symmetrically on either side of the web 31. The flange 33 is somewhat smaller in width than the flange 32, but on the other hand it is somewhat longer. As can be seen, the flange 32 is provided with an aperture 34, the purpose of which will be made clear below.

The web 3I extends longitudinally beyond the ends of the flanges 32 and 33 and fonns a projection 35 having two similar arrow-shaped portions 37 and 38 respectively, the two arrowshaped portions being interconnected by the web 31. The arrow-shaped portions 37, 38 have the same thickness as the flanges 32, 33 and are spaced therefrom, but extend coplanarly therewith. As can be seen, the arrow-shaped portion 38 is somewhat smaller than the portion 37. The shorter sides of the web 31 are equal in length and extend parallel with each other, and are substantially at right angles to the planes of the flanges 32 and 33.

The connecting member of FIGS. 4 to 6 is similar to that of FIGS. 1 to 3 and corresponding parts have been allotted reference numerals one hundred higher than the corresponding reference numerals of FIGS. 1 to -3. The chief differences are that the flange 132 is not provided with an aperture like the aperture 34 of flange 32 and that the shorter edges of the web I31 are no longer parallel. Instead, the top edge 140 of the web 131 still extends substantially at right angles to the planes of the flanges 132 and 133, but the bottom edge 141 has two portions adjacent the flanges I32 and I33 which are at right angles thereto, and these two portions are interconnected with an oblique portion running at 45' to the edge portions. As a result, the flange 133 is considerably shorter than the flange I32.

being longer but narrower. In this embodiment it is'the flange 233 which is provided with an aperture 242 and moreover, the top shorter edges 244, 245 of the flanges 232, 233 respectively are not at right angles to the plane of these flanges but are lightly bevelled so as to slant in the direction going from the flange 232 to the flange 233. The bottom edge 241 here runs at right angles to the planes of the flanges 232, 233. The shape of the projection 235 is also different, in that the arrow portions 237, 238 are substantially equal in size, but the bottom surfaces thereof are bevelled to be parallel with the top surfaces 244, 245 moreover, the top edge 246 of the web 231 is not parallel to the bottom edge 241 but extends obliquely to make an angle of IS with the normal to the planes of the flanges 232, 233. As can be seen from FIG. 9 the topmost edges of the arrows 237, 238 are, in fact, parallel with the bottom edge of the web 241.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 to 12, there is shown a connecting member 330 which is substantially similar to the'connecting members of the preceding embodiments, and similar parts have been given similar reference numbers in the 300 series. The connecting member 330 has an obliquely extending bottom edge of the web 341 similar to the edge 141 of DIG. 4, and has an obliquely extending top edge of the web 346 similar to the top edge 246. The edges 346 and 341 converge. Neither the flange 332 nor the flange 333 is apertured, and the projection 335 is substantially similar to the projection 235 of FIG. 7, and this similarity extends to the bevelled upper edges 344 and 345 of the flanges 332 and 333 respectively. The flange 333 is shorter and narrower than the flange 332, see 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 13 to 16, there is shown a hollow rectangular post 50 for use in the constructional system in accordance with the present invention. As can be seen, the post 50 is, in fact, square shaped in section and along the longitudinal median line of each of its external faces it is provided with slot means of composite shape. The slot means comprises a long narrow channel portion 51 which'is intersected by two transversely extending spaced apart projection-receiving portions 52, 53, respectively.

It will be noted that the projection-receiving portions 52 and 53 of adjacent faces 54 and 55 of the post 50 are not level with each other, although their mutual spacing is the same. The projection-receiving portions 52 and 53 extend through the thickness of the hollow post 50. The projection-receiving portions 52 differ in shape from the projection-receiving portions 53; the shape of the portions 52 is similar to that of the portions 53, but with a cylindrical central aperture portion 58 superimposed thereon, for purposes to be described below. The channel portions 51 are limited at either end thereof by stops 56 which in fact connect together opposite sidewalls of the channel portion 51.

Referring now to FIG. 17, a support member 60 is shown which comprises a screw 61 and captive nut 62. The nut 62 is part cylindrical in that it has a cylindrical base on which is superimposed a substantially oblong portion 63 adjacent the screw 61. The diameter of the support member 60 is such that it is capable of being received in the cylindrical portion 58 of the slot 52.

Referring now to FIG. 18, there is shown a channel-shaped clip 65, preferably made of glass, which as a base wall and two sidewalls 67 and 68. The sidewall 67 is provided with a central slot 69, for a purpose to be described below.

The above description has served to illustrate and describe the various elements comprising a constnrctional system in accordance with the present invention, and now reference will be made with the aid of FIGS. 19 to to the erection of shelving or display stands or the like using the elements so far described.

Referring now to FIG. 19, there is shown a post 50 and a connecting member 130, chain-dotted arrows indicating the way in which the connecting member 130 may be inserted into the apertures 52 and 53 of the post 50. As can be seen, the widths of the transverse parts of these projection-receiving portions of the slot means are so dimensioned as to be capable of receiving the arrows 137 and 138, while the channel 51 is so shaped as to be capable of receiving that portion of the projection 135 which is represented by the web 131. It will be clear that once the projection 135 has been inserted into the projection-receiving portions 52 and 53, the heads" of the arrows will extend beyond these slot portions and will be located within the hollow interior of the post 50, while the "steams" of the arrows 137 and 138 will be slidable in the channel portion 5!. This is clearly illustrated in FIG. 20 in which the connecting member 130 is shown in the next stage of the assembly of the shelving in which, after insertion of the projection 35 in the slots 52 and 53, the connecting member 132 has been displaced or slid upwardly therefrom, with use top edges of the flanges 132 and 133 engaging the respective face of the post 50.

Next, the support member 60 is inserted, as indicated by the chain-dotted arrow, into the cylindrical aperture portion 58 of the slot portion 52. As can be seen, the cylindrical base 62 will project through the slot to the interior of the hollow post, while the substantially oblong portion 63 will be engageable in the channel portion 51. Clearly, by sliding the portion 63 in the channel portion 51 and then by tightening up the screw portion 61, the support member 60 may be brought to a stop in any desired position and clamped therein. This is shown more clearly in FIG. 22, to which reference will be made later.

Turning now to FIG. 21, there is shown an assembly comprising a post 50 into which a connecting member 30 has been inserted and supported in the illustrated position by a support 60, not shown, and in which a composite board or panellike like member 70 has been inserted between the flanges 32 and 33 of the connecting member 30. The member 70 is formed with at least one slightly undercut portion 71 for better engagement with the flanges as indicated by the chain-dotted arrow. Additionally, the panellike member 70 may be formed or provided with a projection 72 adapted to be a tight fit in the aperture 34 in flange 32 whereby to improve the secure location of the panellike member 70 in the connecting member 30.

Clearly, in FIG. 21 the thickness of the panellike member 70 must be fairly similar to the spacing between the flanges 32 and 33 of the connecting member 30. However, in FIG. 22 there is shown a way in which e.g. glass shelves of substantially smaller thickness than the distance between the two said flanges may be located with the aid of the post 50 and a connecting member such as 130. The connecting member 130 is inserted into the post 50 by the procedure shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 so as to secure the connecting members 130 against movement in one vertical direction. In order to secure glass sheets or panels 75 to each other, two such glass panels 35 are laid side by side so that their abutting faces are substantially aligned with the web 131. Then, by making use of the clip 65, these glass panels 75 can be secured together, the slot 69 in the clip 65 accommodating the web 131.

FIGS. 23 to 25 show various examples of shelving or display stands erected from the elements described above and utilizing the erection procedure described above, FIG. 23 showing shelving having three posts 50, nine connecting members 130, a corresponding number of support members 60 and glass clips 65, and flve sheets of glass or other shelving material 75.

FIG. 24 also has three posts 50, but uses nine connecting members 30 without using the clip 65. The flanges of the connecting members 30 accommodate panellike members 70 therebetween.

FIG. 25 shows one central post 50, four connecting members 130, one being connected to each face of the post 50- by the method described with respect to FIGS. 19 to 22. In the present instance, glass sheets 75 are used which are segmental in shape.

The arrangement of FIG. 25 will be seen to be particularly suitable for use as a display stand, and if the post 50 is arranged to be rotated about its own longitudinal central axis, a very effective system of revolving shelves may be obtained.

Having described examples of fully erected shelving and display stands, the differences in shape of the various brackets will be clear. Thus in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 to 6. the oblique edge 4! eliminates the shape edge of the bracket and facilitates the use of glass clips 65 when glass shelving is to be used.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 9. the oblique edge 246 allows a shelfto be mounted at an angle other than a right angle. e.g. I05 to the post 50. The oblique faces 24. Z45 help in achieving this. Moreover, in this embodiment, the shape of the arrow-shaped heads 237, 238 allows the insertion of four brackets into the one post from four directions at the same level or horizontal plane.

The unequal width and length of the flanges in some of the foregoing embodiments are also provided for the purpose of accommodating the upward or downward slanting of the shelves.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated embodiments of this invention provide a constructional system which is extremely flexible in use. and permits a wide variety of shelving configurations to be readily assembled and disaasembkd. The shelving may be made of a very wide range of materials. the system itself not limiting in any way the material it is described to use. The system is a very neat and pleasing appearance. and for most uses the various connecting members 30. 130, 230, 330 are interchangeable.

1 claim:

1. A constructional system for shelving adapted to be readily assembled and disassembled, said system including a post having a hollow interior at least one connecting member having spaced flanges and which is provided with two interconnected substantially arrow-shaped parts, the arrow-shaped parts being coplanar with, but spaced from. said flanges. said arrow-shaped parts including head portions which are joined to said flanges by stem portions of a width less than said head portions, the said post having slot means defined therein communicating with said hollow including two projection-receiving portions spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between said arrow-shaped parts and being sized and shaped for receiving said arrow-shaped parts and a channel portion communicating with said projection-receiving portions. whereby in operation said two arrow-shaped parts of at least one connecting member may be inserted into said projectionreceiving portions and then be moved longitudinally therefrom so that said stem portions are received within and said head portions are received within said hollow interior said channel portion. and separate support means insertable into said projection-receiving portion and displaceable to said channel portion to support said connecting member in any desired position along the channel portion.

2. A constructional system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a cylindrical support fastener which is received within a part cylindrical portion of one of the projection-receiving portions.

3. A constructional system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support fastener includes a screw and a captive nut. the latter having a cylindrical case adapted to be located within the post and an integral abutment adapted for sliding in said channel portion relatively to the connecting member.

4. A constructional system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said post is rectangular in section. there being a said channel portion extending along a median of each face of the post and at least two of the said faces have their respective pair of projection-receiving portions at different locations along lengths of their slots.

5. Shelving including an assembled constructional system as claimed in claim 1. with shelf members being secured to said connecting members.

"Jim 

1. A constructional system for shelving adapted to be readily assembled and disassembled, said system including a post having a hollow interior at least one connecting member having spaced flanges and which is provided with two interconnected substantially arrow-shaped parts, the arrow-shaped parts being coplanar with, but spaced from, said flanges, said arrow-shaped parts including head portions which are joined to said flanges by stem portions of a width less than said head portions, the said post having slot means defined therein communicating with said hollow including two projection-receiving portions spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing between said arrow-shaped parts and being sized and shaped for receiving said arrow-shaped parts and a channel portion communicating with said projection-receiving portions, whereby in operation said two arrow-shaped parts of at least one connecting member may be inserted into said projectionreceiving portions and then be moved longitudinally therefrom so that said stem portions are received within and said head portions are received within said hollow interior said channel portion, and separate support means insertable into said projection-receiving portion and displaceable to said channel portion to support said connecting member in any desired position along the channel portion.
 2. A constructional system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a cylindrical support fastener which is received within a part cylindrical portion of one of the projection-receiving portions.
 3. A constructional system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said support fastener includes a screw and a captive nut, the latter having a cylindrical case adapted to be located within the post and an integral abutment adapted for sliding in said channel portion relatively to the connecting member.
 4. A constructional system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said post is rectangular in section, there being a said channel portion extending along a median of each face of the post and at least two of the said faces have their respective pair of projection-receiving portions at different locations along lengths of their slots.
 5. Shelving including an assembled constructional system as claimed in claim 1, with shelf members being secured to said connecting members. 